Six Congress MLAs who were inducted into the Karnataka Cabinet about a week ago were allotted their portfolios on Friday, with redistribution of some portfolios held by the Congress.
This also confirms the speculation of Deputy CM G Parameshwara losing the Home portfolio and DK Shivakumar being asked to give up the medical education department.
In a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister, All India Congress Committee’s Karnataka-in-charge has communicated the party high command’s final call on the matter.
New inductee MB Patil, Lingayat strongman and known to be Siddaramaiah’s man, has been made the Home Minister. Patil had previously held the important Water Resources Ministry in the previous government but was overlooked by the party for a ministerial post after the Karnataka Assembly elections earlier this year.
MTB Nagaraju is the new Housing Minister, a post previously held by UT Khader in addition to his existing portfolios. CS Shivalli has been given the Department of Municipalities and Local Bodies. Satish Jarkiholi is the new Forest Minister, replacing Independent MLA R Shankar. Tukuram has been named as the new minister for medical education.
RB Thimmapur has received the portfolios of Port and Inland Transport (held by HD Revanna) and Sugar (KJ George). Rahim Khan is the new Sports Minister, while Parameshwara Naik is the Minister of Muzrai and Skill Development (held by RV Deshpande).
Deputy CM G Parameshwara, who had to give up the Home portfolio has been given three ministries. They are Law, Justice and Human Rights and Parliamentary Affairs and Legislation (held by Krishna Byre Gowda) and Departments of IT and BT, Science and Technology (previously held by KJ George). He will continue to be the Bengaluru Development Minister.
DK Shivakumar gets the Kannada and Culture Department, previously held by Jaymala in addition to her portfolio of Women and Child Development, in addition to the Water Resources Ministry.